The Proposal (Forever Bound Book 2) by Bree Callahan Page A

respond because he still wanted to think about the question.  Jesse rephrased his question.  “Do you think she’s acting this way because she was hoping you really did fall in love with her?”
    “I did,” Derek groaned.
    “I know, and I get that, but she thinks you betrayed her, and you were just using her.  If she didn’t care about you, she wouldn’t be so hurt.  Right?”
    Derek shrugged.  He hadn’t considered that, but he wanted to believe Jesse knew what he was talking about.  “So, how exactly am I going to make her see that I never wanted to hurt her?”
    Jesse locked eyes with Derek and Derek could see the wheels turning.  “I’ll try calling Ana again, but I can’t make any promises.”
    “Totally fine.  As long as you give it a shot.”  Derek stood there and glanced down at the phone in Jesse’s office.
    Jesse snickered.  “You want me to call now?”
    Derek shrugged.  “What better time than the present.”
    Jesse groaned and picked up the phone.  He dialed up Ana’s number and his lips curved downward.  “Voicemail,” he replied.  He didn’t hand up, just waited for her message to run through, then left her a voicemail.  “Hey, Ana, it’s me.  I just really wish you’d call me back.  We need to talk.  Everything has just been a huge misunderstanding.  Please give me a chance to explain.  I love you.”  He hesitated before finishing off the message with, “Call me!”  He hung up and glanced at Derek.  “Happy?”
    Derek nodded.  “Thanks!”  He hoped Jesse kept on top of it.  They said goodbye and he left Jesse's office with a little more hope than what he had before talking to him.  He went back to his own lonely and quiet office and sat down at his desk.  He read through some emails, even though the words just ran together.  He got up from his desk and headed back out of his office and to the elevator.  He couldn’t just sit around and wait for something that might not happen.  He still had a project to do.  He needed to head to the construction site and see how things were going because it was only a week until they’d break ground and that was one thing he could control.
     
    ****
     
    “What do you want to eat?” Ana called from the kitchen.  “Burgers and fries? Spaghetti? Tacos?”
    She continued listing items, as Charity walked into the kitchen and found Ana looking through cupboards and the refrigerator.  The agreement seemed to work that Ana did the majority of the cooking and Charity did the majority of the laundry.  It evened out along the way.  Charity shrugged.  “Doesn’t matter to me.”
    Ana groaned.  “I chose last night, so tag…you’re it.”
    Charity laughed.  “We sound like an old married couple.”
    Ana snickered.  “Yeah, I guess we do.  I don’t—.” Her voice was cut off when her cell phone rang.  She looked over at the counter, where it laid next to the sink, then went back to what she previously started to say.  “I don’t care what we have.  Really…I don’t.”
    “Who’s calling you?” Charity asked as the phone continued ringing.
    “No one,” Ana snidely remarked.  Charity knew better than that.  Since they’d both been in the apartment, the cell phone rang at least five times, and Ana never answered it.  She was obviously avoiding someone, and Charity knew exactly who.  “How about burgers and fries?” Ana excitedly asked like she’d just made a momentous decision.  She started grabbing out the skillet and items from the refrigerator and completely ignored Charity.
    Charity could sense the nervousness behind Ana’s actions.  The phone signaled that a voicemail was left, and Ana stopped what she was doing to glance over to the phone.  They both knew what the voicemail was.  Then she went back to grabbing things she needed to make supper.  Then a text message sounded, and she paused again.  Charity could only watch Ana’s demise right before her eyes.  Charity grabbed